Dedham Health

Give TRX A Try

By Sarah Caracciolo
DHAC Assistant Fitness Director 

There have been a lot of people walking by our two TRX Suspension trainers in the fitness center and well, a lot of you keep on walking! I’m encouraging you to try it out! Yes, it may look intimidating. More than once I’ve had someone say to me “I’m going to get all kinds of tangled in that thing!” But the fact of the matter is that it’s VERY easy to use!

The available exercises are endless, but you don’t need to do them all. Start with a few basics moves and take it from there! The best part of the TRX Suspension trainer is that it really is “All core all the time.” Because it is bodyweight training, you can decide at what intensity level you want to work.

You can use the TRX Suspension trainer for almost anything including sports specific training, general fitness, improved strength, balance, flexibility, and core stability. Whether you are training as an athlete, rehabbing an injury, training for pure aesthetics, or just want to try something new, the TRX Suspension Trainer is for you!

Before we get started on exercises, let’s talk about the components of the TRX.

You’ll notice the TRX hanging from a yellow strap. This yellow strap is called the suspension anchor. The TRX attaches to the anchor by its main carabiner.

Just below the main carabiner you will see a small piece of material that is connecting both sides of the suspension trainer. This is called your equalizer loop. The two yellow tabs you see on each arm of the TRX are called adjustment tabs (you’ll frequently be using these).

Lower on the suspension trainer you’ll see a small metal square called your cam buckle. Please note that there are two different designs; one you depress with your thumb while the other you simply angle down with your thumb to change the length of the trainer. Moving down you will see the handles, and below the handles are your foot cradles.

Phew….that’s it for now! Next week, we get into some specific exercises. And as always, feel free to ask one of the exercise physiologists for help if you want to give it a go!

Consider a 5K

By Robbie Goldman, MS
DHAC Exercise Physiologist

After all your hard work in the gym this winter take advantage of the warm weather and try a 5k walk or run. It’s a great way to stay fit and spend time with family and friends. Many 5K races around the Boston area are sponsored by a great cause or charity.

Ask anyone of Dedham Health’s exercise physiologists for advice on helping you complete your first 5K!!

To find out more on Boston area 5K’s and other races check out www.coolrunning.com

Super Set Your Workout

By Jeremie Hurd
DHAC Exercise Physiologist

Ok I get it, life is often too busy to have time to go to the gym. However, if you can free up 30-45 minutes, that is plenty of time to get a good work out in. Both for cardio or strength training.

For now let’s focus on strength training. The most effective way to get through your strength training routine fast is what we call super-setting. Most people do an exercise, then wait for 30 seconds or so to recover before doing the next set of the same exercise.

It is quicker and more efficient to do one set then go straight to a different exercise, working a different muscle, which is what super setting means. For example let us say you do a set of bench presses, then as soon as you finish you do a set of bicep curls. This lets you quickly go back and forth between the two exercises which shortens the time because you don’t have to wait for the 30 seconds in between sets to recover. One muscle is able to recover while you work the other one.

Doing this will cut your workout in half and also double the efficiency! Try it and see how quickly your strength training workouts go by.

Picture Planks for Abs and Core

By Jason Laporte
DHAC Exercise Physioligist 

The plank is a great exercise for building endurance in the abdominals and back, as well as the stabilizer muscles around the spine and pelvic girdle.

Lie face down on a mat. Push off the floor, rise up onto your toes and elbows located directly below your shoulders. The objective now is to keep your spine neutral against the force of gravity. Keep your back flat and pelvic girdle tilted such that you’re butt is not way up in the air, nor is your back sagging in the middle. Look down and forward and imagine maintaining a straight line down your body from head to feet. Hold position for 20-60 seconds or whatever you can do.

Not quite strong enough to pull off this move yet? Try a modified plank resting on your elbows and bent knees on the ground. Or you can lean forward against a wall, resting on your elbows with your feet positioned behind the hips and shoulders. Rise on your toes and try keeping your spine neutral against the force of gravity. Progress by walking your feet further and further behind your over time.

Let us know how you do!

New Exercise Alert: Squat To Overhead Press

By Julie Messinger
DHAC Exercise Physiologist 

It’s getting closer and closer to summer. Now that you eliminated the winter blues, this could be a chance to get yourself back into the gym and get some good work outs in before you hit the beach!

If you’ve been doing the same routine all winter, this is a perfect time to switch things up and add some new and fun exercises. Try adding the medicine ball to your training.

These weighted spheres help improve your muscular power which can improve sports performance. They can be thrown, caught and can improve overall athletic ability! Whether you’re an athlete looking to improve strength, or just want to improve your general fitness, these exercises will be a challenge and will improve your strength.

Before you start, make sure you chose a weight that’s heavy enough to slow down the motion, but at the same time not so heavy that you limit your R.O.M. (Range of motion) For general health benefits, do 15 reps 3-5 sets. If you would like to focus on power and speed, try using a heavier weight doing 3-5 reps 3-5 sets.

Here is an example of a full body exercise with the medicine ball. In this one move, you will be working your quads,  glutes, hamstrings, core and shoulders!

Squat to Overhead Press: Stand with feet hip width apart. Hold medicine ball right in front of chest. Sit back in heels with butt back and chest up. This is your squat. Push through the heels and exhale out of your mouth back to standing position and push medicine ball over head with arms lined up with ears. Bring ball back down to start. Do 15 reps 3-5 sets.

It All Started With 60 / 60

By Beth Rosenblatt
DHAC Member and 60/60 Graduate

I will always remember the evening I started the 60/60 program. It was almost four years ago. I had just completed four months of Physical Therapy with Stephanie Schwartz after suffering a bad ankle fracture in December 2008. As I was about to complete my physical therapy, Stephanie recommended the 60/60 program to me. I followed her recommendation. Thank you, Stephanie!

After I broke my ankle, I was unable to use crutches or a walker very well, because I literally had no strength in my arms. Therefore, I used a wheel chair to get around for weeks. The lack of mobility caused me to gain a lot of weight. I became depressed as a result. My cholesterol climbed as well, and I needed to make some major changes to avoid medication and to become stronger and more mobile.

I met with Robbie at 9:45 PM on a Wednesday night to complete a questionnaire for the 60/60 program, have my weight and measurements recorded, and start doing some exercises on a card that he started for me. Although I didn't know it at the time, that June evening was just the beginning of a new, healthy lifestyle for me!

For two months, I worked with Robbie, Dodi and Susan and others in the 60/60 program. They were all very professional, knowledgeable and patient, and I started to feel better physically and emotionally. At the end of 60/60, I knew that I could not possibly leave DHAC! I wanted to become a member and continue working with Robbie as my Exercise Physiologist. That is just what I did!

Robbie encouraged me to begin taking group fitness classes, but I was very shy! I know that this has to come as a big surprise to both DHAC staff and the members that know me!! I avoided classes for a while and exercised independently, because I was very uncomfortable with myself.

Over the next few years, I checked in with Robbie every few months using the training sessions that were allotted as part of my membership. I also started the Activetrax program, which allowed me to work out independently using exercise sessions that changed for me. I began to see some improvements with my weight and cholesterol.

I finally started to take Abs classes with Dodi and Mat Pilates with Robbie. I later added Body Pump, Abs Express and other classes, and I enjoy all of them. In these classes, I have met some of my favorite friends who are so special to me.

One year ago, after some discussions with Robbie, it became clear that I needed to take my fitness program to a new level in order to achieve my goals. I decided to start personal training with him, one half-hour session each week, last June. I started to lose more weight and inches and and began to truly enjoy my new lifestyle and wardrobe!

I recently increased my training to an hour each week instead of a half-hour. I love working with Robbie and feel so lucky to be able to work with such a patient, knowledgeable and wonderful trainer! If I receive good blood test results or a lose weight, I cannot wait to share the news with him.

Recently, I had my blood tested, and my LDL (bad) cholesterol is the lowest I have seen in a while and my HDL (good) cholesterol is higher than it has ever seen. I have had to add a new box in my closet to hold all of my workout clothes that I love selecting and wearing to DHAC! I love my friends, instructors and trainer very much! Thank you DHAC for helping me to improve my life.

And it all started with the 60/60 Program!

Hop In, Shape Up

By Chris Klinkow
Aquatics Director / Hydras Head Coach / Instructor

Hopefully you have been fortunate enough to enjoy the fantastic weather spring has been tantalizing us with. It was so nice last week that I ended up taking a dip outside as we were filling up the Summer Club pools!

As Aquatics Director at DHAC I spend a significant amount of time in the water. Swimming is truly a passion of mine. Whether I am instructing three year olds in our Learn To Swim program, demonstrating drills for Swim Team (GO HYDRAS!!!), setting the pace for my Masters Training swimmers, or simply training on my own....one thing is for sure.....I'm getting great exercise!

You may or may not be aware of the less obvious benefits of swimming as exercise. Swimming is ideal for full body conditioning and takes first place when it comes to low-impact training. Additionally, you might be interested to know that swimming has been proven as a fantastic avenue for getting your summer shape on.

The following article lists ten significant benefits gained/ehanced uniquely through swimming, check it out! Start summer early this year and throw a suit on. 

I can attest to the health benefits, and assure you that if you take up swimming as a primary exercise it will yield results that you won’t get otherwise. Even as an alternative exercise, swimming will provide benefits that compliment any other form of training, be it strength training or conditioning!

Come see us at the Adult or Family pool! You can join us for a swim, or just say “Hi”!

Run / Walk for a Cause

By Meghan Hurley
DHAC Cycling Instructor

Do you like to run or walk? How about running and/or walking knowing that you are doing it for a good cause??? Well then mark your calendars for the first Saturday in June and put in bold, cap letters: FAD road race!!!

Foxboro Against Diabetes (FAD) is a 5k Road Race that has been held for the past 12 years in memory of my husband’s sister, Shannon, who passed away 18 years ago from complications with diabetes. All of the race proceeds benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). For the past twelve years, the race has attracted over 9,500 participants and has raised over $250,000 for Diabetes research.

The race is a flat, 3.1 mile course that you can run, jog or walk. No hills, jumps, sprints if you are wondering. :-)  If you are an avid runner or someone who is just starting to get back into running, this is the race for you!! Trust me on this!!

Thinking about doing it but not sure how to train for it?? DHAC is obviously the place where your training can start! DHAC has plenty of treadmills to assist you with your training program as well as an indoor track! If you need to be motivated, DHAC offers classes such as Trail Mix and Track Intervals to help both runners and walkers acclimate to this type of cardiovascular exercise!!

How am I training? I have been running outside each week outside and supplementing my workouts with runs on the treadmill! My focus each run varies on distance and time. While teaching cycling classes is A LOT easier for me, running definitely challenges my overall fitness level! Running offers me the ability to cross train so that I am not tiring the same muscle groups with the same cardiovascular exercises each time I workout.

Thinking about doing the FAD road race? Join me on Saturday, June 1st, 2013 in Foxboro for the 13th annual FAD road race! The race begins at 10:00 am rain or shine! Come and run/walk and know that you too are raising money for a great cause!

For more info about the race and/or to register, check out the website: www. Foxboroagainstdiabetes.com or feel free to come and ask me!

I hope to see you there with your sneakers laced and ready to go!

Excuses, Excuses

By Brittanie McDonald, B.S.
DHAC Exercise Physiologist

“I haven’t been to the gym in 6 months because...”

Or “I can’t go to the gym today because…”

And “I’m too tired to…”

We all hear them on day to day basis, whether it be from our friends, siblings, children or co-workers. It seems that everyone (including myself) has an excuse for something these days! And yet as much as we hate hearing them, we still have no problem making some of our own when it’s convenient.

Your excuses are the only things holding you back from becoming who you want to be and achieving your goals. Working in the fitness field in particular, I have heard every excuse in the book. But, more often than not, people are just afraid to be honest with themselves.

Here are just a few of the many excuses my co-workers and I have heard over the years.

1. TIME: I understand that life is not always predictable. Sometimes, there are situations that are genuinely out of our control, and need immediate attention. But what about the time you can control? I'm talking about that small window of time we have available for ourselves during the week.

Whether you go out for a walk, hike or a bike ride on these beautiful spring days, or wake up an hour earlier than usual and hit the gym before work, only a small window of time is needed. If you have some extra time on your lunch break, take a walk or go up and down the stairs in your building. Make exercise part of your daily routine, it should be just as important as your doctor appointments and business meetings.

2. MONEY We often hear that people don’t exercise because they can’t afford a gym membership. Yet there is always money for that daily $4.00 latte from Starbucks, that $100 dollar monthly iphone or cable bill, and $50 for going out to eat once a week. Shouldn’t your health be your main priority? Taking control of your health may cost you some money but in the end, our health is all we have!

3.RESULTS Did you gain that weight over night? No? Then why do we expect to lose it over night? It may take some time to get the results you are looking for, but you will start to feel the difference in just a few days and see the results in just a few weeks! Stop expecting a miracle and be realistic! A healthy amount of weight loss is 1-2lbs a week.

Don’t make excuses, make changes! Be the change you wish to see in yourself!

Kempo In The Sun

By Sarah Galante
DHAC Group Fitness Director 

With spring sports in full swing, are your finding your “little Dragons” after school schedules are filling up fast? Here at DHAC Kempo Karate we always encourage out students to branch out and participate in other activities, using their karate skills in other ways.

There is a saying at our school and that is “there are no bench warmers in Kempo”. Our school runs are year long offering multiple classes during the week for your child to participate in to keep their skills sharp.

As you begin to look ahead to the summer sessions let me explain why it is so important for you to keep your children active in their current karate class or if you are thinking about having your child start up this life building sport.

-Kempo in the summer will offer structure to your child’s life when they are not in school

-The classes will offer interaction with other students their age which is important for socialization

-The classes tend to be a bit smaller so the program can be accelerated and they will learn a little faster

-The studio is always nice and cool, so your children will be able to be active in a comfortable environment

While your children are in class, this can also be a time for you to unwind in our comfortable lobby and enjoy a magazine!

We will be here all summer long to make sure your kids are staying active, focused and most important having FUN!